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Sacrifice in Chinese / Japanese...

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Sacrifice

xī shēng

gi sei

희생

犧牲 / 犠牲 means sacrifice in Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja.

There is a suggestion in this word that this regards sacrificing your life.

Note: Depending on context, this can also mean victim or scapegoat in Japanese.

In original and ancient Chinese, this word referred to sacrificial animals. It can still have this meaning in a Buddhist context.

The version of the first character used in modern Japan looks like the image to the right. If you order this from the Japanese master calligrapher, it will be written in this Japanese version.

Self Sacrifice

shě jǐ

sutemi / suteki

This Chinese and Japanese word means selfless, self-sacrifice (to help others), self-renunciation, or altruism.

Sacrifice / Devotion / Dedication

(complete bodily devotion)

xiàn shēn

ken shin

헌신

獻身 is used to describe being so devoted to something that you will make sacrifices for that goal/thing/person. You can also translate this word as any of the following:

Give one's life for...
Sacrifice one's life for...
To dedicate oneself to...
Self-devotion
Dedication

Commit ones energy to...
Devote to...
Self-sacrifice
Giving your whole body to...

This can be a dedication to or for someone but more often is used in reference to a dedication or making sacrifices for your country, public service, or a cause. For instance, an Olympic athlete makes great sacrifices to train in his/her sport for their country and compatriots.

While the form shown to the upper-left is considered an ancient Japanese version, in modern Japan, they use the simplified version of the first Kanji (shown to the right). Click on the Kanji at the right instead of the button above if you want this modern Japanese version.

If you are looking for a more religious meaning of devotion, see Faith.

Better to sacrifice your life than your principles

shě shēng qǔ yì

사생취의

Better to sacrifice your life than your principles

捨生取義 is a Chinese proverb that comes from the philosopher Mencius.

It can be translated a few different ways:
To give up life for righteousness.
To choose honor over life
Better to sacrifice one's life than one's principles.

Not the results for sacrifice that you were looking for?

Below are some entries from our dictionary that may match your sacrifice search...

Characters If shown, 2nd row is Simp. Chinese	Pronunciation Romanization	Simple Dictionary Definition
禪禅 see styles	chán / chan2 ch`an / chan yuzuri / ゆずり zen / ぜん	to abdicate; dhyana (Sanskrit); Zen; meditation (Buddhism) (out-dated kanji) (1) (Buddhist term) dhyana (profound meditation); (2) (abbreviation) Zen (Buddhism); (surname) Yuzuri; (personal name) Zen To level a place for an altar, to sacrifice to the hills and fountains; to abdicate. Adopted by Buddhists for dhyāna, 禪 or 禪那, i.e. meditation, abstraction, trance. dhyāna is 'meditation, thought, reflection, especially profound and abstract religious contemplation'. M.W. It was intp. as 'getting rid of evil', etc., later as 靜慮 quiet meditation. It is a form of 定, but that word is more closely allied with samādhi, cf. 禪定. The term also connotes Buddhism and Buddhist things in general, but has special application to the 禪宗 q.v. It is one of the six pāramitās, cf. 波. There are numerous methods and subjects of meditation. The eighteen brahmalokas are divided into four dhyāna regions 'corresponding to certain frames of mind where individuals might be reborn in strict accordance with their spiritual state'. The first three are the first dhyāna, the second three the second dhyāna, the third three the third dhyāna, and the remaining nine the fourth dhyāna. See Eitel. According to Childers' Pali Dictionary, 'The four jhānas are four stages of mystic meditation, whereby the believer's mind is purged from all earthly emotions, and detached as it were from his body, which remains plunged in a profound trance.' Seated cross-legged, the practiser 'concentrates his mind upon a single thought. Gradually his soul becomes filled with a supernatural ecstasy and serenity', his mind still reasoning: this is the first jhāna. Concentrating his mind on the same subject, he frees it from reasoning, the ecstasy and serenity remaining, which is the second jhāna. Then he divests himself of ecstasy, reaching the third stage of serenity. Lastly, in the fourth stage the mind becomes indifferent to all emotions, being exalted above them and purified. There are differences in the Mahāyāna methods, but similarity of aim. More info / calligraphy: Zen / Chan / Meditation
捨己舍己 see styles	shě jǐ / she3 ji3 she chi sutemi / すてみ suteki / すてき	selfless; self-sacrifice (to help others); self-renunciation; altruism (given name) Sutemi; (given name) Suteki More info / calligraphy: Self Sacrifice
獻身 see styles	xiàn shēn / xian4 shen1 hsien shen	to commit one's energy to; to devote oneself to; to sacrifice one's life for; (coll.) (of a woman) to give one's virginity to More info / calligraphy: Sacrifice / Devotion / Dedication
菩薩菩萨 see styles	pú sà / pu2 sa4 p`u sa / pu sa bosatsu(p);bosachi(ok) / ぼさつ(P);ぼさち(ok)	Bodhisattva (Buddhism) (n,n-suf) (1) {Buddh} bodhisattva; one who has reached enlightenment but vows to save all beings before becoming a buddha; (2) High Monk (title bestowed by the imperial court); (3) (See 本地垂迹説) title bestowed to Shinto kami in manifestation theory; (surname) Mizoro bodhisattva, cf. 菩提薩埵. While the idea is not foreign to Hīnayāna, its extension of meaning is one of the chief marks of Mahāyāna. 'The Bodhisattva is indeed the characteristic feature of the Mahāyāna.' Keith. According to Mahāyāna the Hinayanists, i.e. the śrāvaka and pratyekabuddha, seek their own salvation, while the bodhisattva's aim is the salvation of others and of all. The earlier intp. of bodhisattva was 大道心衆生 all beings with mind for the truth; later it became 大覺有情 conscious beings of or for the great intelligence, or enlightenment. It is also intp. in terms of leadership, heroism, etc. In general it is a Mahayanist seeking Buddhahood, but seeking it altruistically; whether monk or layman, he seeks enlightenment to enlighten others, and he will sacrifice himself to save others; he is devoid of egoism and devoted to helping others. All conscious beings having the Buddha-nature are natural bodhisattvas, but require to undergo development. The mahāsattva is sufficiently advanced to become a Buddha and enter nirvāṇa, but according to his vow he remains in the realm of incarnation to save all conscious beings. A monk should enter on the arduous course of discipline which leads to Bodhisattvahood and Buddhahood. More info / calligraphy: Bodhisattva
捨生取義舍生取义 see styles	shě shēng qǔ yì / she3 sheng1 qu3 yi4 she sheng ch`ü i / she sheng chü i	to give up life for righteousness (idiom, from Mencius); to choose honor over life; would rather sacrifice one's life than one's principles More info / calligraphy: Better to sacrifice your life than your principles
俎 see styles	zǔ / zu3 tsu so / そ	a stand for food at sacrifice altar of sacrifice Buy custom calligraphy wall scroll
垗 see styles	zhào / zhao4 chao	sacrifice Buy custom calligraphy wall scroll
明 see styles	míng / ming2 ming mei / me / めい min / みん myou / myo / みょう	bright; opposite: dark 暗[an4]; (of meaning) clear; to understand; next; public or open; wise; generic term for a sacrifice to the gods; Ming Dynasty (1368-1644); surname Ming; Ming (c. 2000 BC), fourth of the legendary Flame Emperors, 炎帝[Yan2 di4] descended from Shennong 神農\|神农[Shen2 nong2] Farmer God (1) brightness; (2) clarity; acumen; (3) power of vision; Ming (dynasty of China, 1368-1644); (1) {Buddh} vidya (wisdom); (2) (See 真言・1) mantra; (prefix) (3) the coming (4th of July, etc.); (surname) Meishuu; (female given name) Mei; (given name) Min; (surname) Myoujin; (surname) Myou; (female given name) Hinata; (female given name) Haru; (female given name) Toshi; (given name) Tooru; (female given name) Sayaka; (female given name) Saya; (male given name) Satoshi; (personal name) Asumi; (surname) Akera; (personal name) Akemine; (surname) Akesaki; (place-name, surname) Ake; (female given name) Akuru; (surname) Akiraka; (surname, female given name) Akira; (u vidyā, knowledge. ming means bright, clear, enlightenment, intp. by 智慧 or 聰明 wisdom, wise; to understand. It represents Buddha-wisdom and its revelation; also the manifestation of a Buddha's light or effulgence; it is a term for 眞言 because the 'true word' can destroy the obscurity of illusion; the 'manifestation' of the power of the object of worship; it means also dhāraṇīs or mantras of mystic wisdom. Also, the Ming dynasty A. D. 1368-1644. Buy custom calligraphy wall scroll
梡 see styles	kuǎn / kuan3 k`uan / kuan	(tree); stand for sacrifice Buy custom calligraphy wall scroll
焄 see styles	xūn / xun1 hsün	fumes from sacrifice Buy custom calligraphy wall scroll
燔 see styles	fán / fan2 fan	burn; to roast meat for sacrifice Buy custom calligraphy wall scroll
牢 see styles	láo / lao2 lao rou / ro / ろう	firm; sturdy; fold (for animals); sacrifice; prison prison; jail; gaol A gaol, fold, pen; secure, firm; a pen Buy custom calligraphy wall scroll
牲 see styles	shēng / sheng1 sheng suminori / すみのり sumie / すみえ	domestic animal; sacrificial animal (1) (archaism) offering (to the gods, emperor, etc.); (2) gift; (3) sacrifice; (personal name) Suminori; (personal name) Sumie Buy custom calligraphy wall scroll
犧 see styles	xī / xi1 hsi	sacrifice Buy custom calligraphy wall scroll
玥 see styles	yuè / yue4 yüeh	pearl used in sacrifice Buy custom calligraphy wall scroll
畤 see styles	zhì / zhi4 chih	ancient sacrifice Buy custom calligraphy wall scroll
瘞瘗 see styles	yì / yi4 i	bury; sacrifice To bury, offer in sacrifice. Buy custom calligraphy wall scroll
礿 see styles	yuè / yue4 yüeh	spring imperial ancestral sacrifice Buy custom calligraphy wall scroll
祀 see styles	sì / si4 ssu ji	to sacrifice; to offer libation to This term is used in Buddhism, but due to a licensing issue, we cannot show the definition Buy custom calligraphy wall scroll
祛 see styles	qū / qu1 ch`ü / chü	sacrifice to drive away calamity; to dispel; to drive away; to remove Buy custom calligraphy wall scroll
祠 see styles	cí / ci2 tz`u / tzu shi / ほこら	shrine; to offer a sacrifice (kana only) hokora; small wayside shrine The spring ancestral sacrifice; the spring; ancestral temple, tablet, etc. Buy custom calligraphy wall scroll
祫 see styles	xiá / xia2 hsia	triennial sacrifice to ancestors Buy custom calligraphy wall scroll
祭 see styles	jì / ji4 chi matsuri / まつり	to offer sacrifice; festive occasion; surname Zhai festival; feast; (surname, female given name) Matsuri Sacrifice, sacrificial; sacrifice or make offerings to one's ancestors Buy custom calligraphy wall scroll
禋 see styles	yīn / yin1 yin	sacrifice Buy custom calligraphy wall scroll
禖 see styles	méi / mei2 mei	heir-requesting sacrifice Buy custom calligraphy wall scroll
禘 see styles	dì / di4 ti	imperial ancestral sacrifice Buy custom calligraphy wall scroll
禜 see styles	yǒng / yong3 yung	sacrifice Buy custom calligraphy wall scroll
禫 see styles	tǎn / tan3 t`an / tan	sacrifice at the end of mourning Buy custom calligraphy wall scroll
禳 see styles	ráng / rang2 jang jō	sacrifice for avoiding calamity To pray to avert. Buy custom calligraphy wall scroll
禴 see styles	yuè / yue4 yüeh	spring imperial ancestral sacrifice Buy custom calligraphy wall scroll

Search for Sacrifice in my Japanese & Chinese Dictionary

The following table may be helpful for those studying Chinese or Japanese...

Title	Characters	Romaji(Romanized Japanese)	Various forms of Romanized Chinese
Sacrifice	犧牲 / 犠牲牺牲	gi sei / gisei	xī shēng / xi1 sheng1 / xi sheng / xisheng	hsi sheng / hsisheng
Self Sacrifice	捨己舍己	sutemi / suteki	shě jǐ / she3 ji3 / she ji / sheji	she chi / shechi
Sacrifice Devotion Dedication	獻身献身	ken shin / kenshin	xiàn shēn xian4 shen1 xian shen xianshen	hsien shen hsienshen
Better to sacrifice your life than your principles	捨生取義舍生取义		shě shēng qǔ yì she3 sheng1 qu3 yi4 she sheng qu yi sheshengquyi	she sheng ch`ü i sheshengchüi she sheng chü i
In some entries above you will see that characters have different versions above and below a line. In these cases, the characters above the line are Traditional Chinese, while the ones below are Simplified Chinese.

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